Until recently, the implementation of extendable architecture applications for a printer has usually required the building of specially designed read-only memory (ROM) dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs) which are installed into a printer. However, the design and installation is costly and complex, thereby reducing the availability of such extendable architecture applications to consumers.
More recently, the addition of a JAVA™ Virtual Machine (VM) and World Wide Web (WWW) accessibility to embedded devices such as hand-held devices and printers has enabled device developers to build JAVA™ applications to run extendable architecture programs. However, in order for these programs to persist after a power cycle or reboot, there is a need to permanently store them on the device. Additionally, there has also been a trend to reduce the cost and complexity of Internet appliances and peripheral devices. As a result, some embedded devices unfortunately lack the luxury of permanent storage due to cost or hardware limitations. Therefore, such devices cannot benefit from extendable architecture programs.
One recent solution has been provided for loading objects to a printer from a uniform resource locator (URL) over the World Wide Web (WWW) or some other Internet facility. The solution, referred to as “Chai Loader”, performs the task of loading objects to the printer from a URL, and is provided by “Chai”, an integrated suite of software products, development tools and services for designing information appliances, available from Hewlett-Packard Company, of Palo Alto, Calif., assignee of the present invention. Chai Loader is designed to download a package in its entirety to the printer's Flash Non-Volatile memory. Chai Loader also has the ability to download the content of a package to a RAM disk. However, once the power is turned off, the package disappears and the download process must start all over again at the next power-up. Accordingly, in order to allow a simple embedded device to run powerful applications, improvements are needed to address the lack of permanent storage.